The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-18
KILLED BY HER COMPANIONS
Suspicious Circumstances of the Death
of an indianapolis Woman.
While Camping in the Woods Near CoIum-
bus. Mrs. Howe Is Killed and Her Com
panions Are Arrested for Murder.

Patrick Hagel, marshal OF Columbus. came
TO the city the IL o'clock train last night,
bringing information Of aggravated tragedy
that was enacted White river, six miles be-
low Columbus, Saturday night, resulting in the
death of Molhe Howe. whose residence Is No.
80 South Delaware street. this city. Last
Monday party Of well-known gentlemen from
Edinbure, johnson county, began camping on
the river q small town called Zalia. Sat-
urday morning two women and little girl
came to Columbus, and representing that they
were relatives Of some of the campers, were
driven to the camping place. The women were
Mollie Howe, her ten-year-old daughter. and
Rosa Schultz, alias Rosa White Of this city.
Yesterday morning member Of the party
came to Columbus, and reported that the Howe
woman had fallen off a log and killed herself.
The Coroner went out to the camp, and found
the dead woman in distant portion of tho
woods from the camping grounds. The body
showed that she had been dead several hours
Her skull was fractured in two places. Across
the top OF her head was fracture that could
blow, and just above the right ear was
a second fracture, not great, but
one that must have been made with heavy
weapon Of some kind. The con-
WINGED at once that the woman had been foully
dealt with. All the persons in the camp claimed
to know nothing about the killing. more than
that they naQ founu ner lying OeB00 the
log woodpile. onto which they supposed she
had accidentally fallen and received the
injury. The coroner, before removing
the body, returned to Columbus, and with Mar
shall Hagel, went back to the scene, and after
making some further investigations arrested the
entire party. consisting OF Ira Cutsincer, Frank
EEu ~; sing, james Thompson Riley spurgeon.
to Columbus on the charge OF associat-
ing with evil persons, pending the inves-
tieation. The men are from Edinbure,
the towns best citizens. The Cutsingers and
Mr.. Thompson especially well to do. being
among the wealthiest persons in the county.
Their bond fixed at $500 EACH but none of
their friends had come to their relief last
ing The little daughter of Mrs. Howe tells a
story altogether different from any OF
She says that late in the evening three or four
or the men began quarreling over her mother
and that the trouble ended in fight. About
dark two of the men-but which two she does
not know-took her mother from the camp and
started out into the woods. An hour later they
heard her mothcr begin to scream, and all the
remaining persons IN the camp ran q half mile
to where she was. They found her dead beside
the log. The two men who had gone away with
her were there also. and claimed that she had
fallen from the log and broke her neck. The
girl says that after the woman was found to be
dead there WAS great deal of secret talk
among the men and the White woman, as to
what should be done with the remains.
The coroners inquest will be held this fora
noon, when more facts concerning the tragedy
are expected to be brought out.
The murdered woman was forty-five years Of
age, and has been the keeper OF disreputable
house Alabama street for several years. Rosa
White is also woman Of bad reputation, and
lives at No. 20 South Alabama street
Marshal Hagel says the affair has created a
great sensation in the county because of the
prominence of the mon under arrest. From the
nature of the woman's injuries he says there is
no doubt about her having been murdered The
place where the company was camping is a lone
~ one and no matter how much noise the wom-
an might have made it could not
have been heard by anyone in the
locality. The object of Mr. Hagels
visit to the city was to ascertain who
the women were. The men claimed that they
had come to them unexpected, and claimed that
they did not know where they were from. Miss
White who gave her name Schutt. acknowl-
edged she from this city, after the arrest,
but said that the murdered woman was from
Cincinnati. It was learned last night that both
women had gone to the camp by previous ar
rangement with the men.